Aaron Maybin only weighs 228lbs

[Bill from NYC]

I think that you, Bill, and I agree that Whitner is a better football player than Maybin. But the Whitner pick could still be worse than the Maybin pick. To illustrate:

 

Scenario 1: a GM has to choose between Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf. He chooses Leaf.

 

Scenario 2: a GM has to choose between Trent Dilfer and Ryan Leaf. He chooses Leaf.

 

What Bill is saying is that Scenario 1 represents a much worse decision on the GM's part than Scenario 2. Bill isn't just looking at the quality of player the GM got. He's also looking at the quality of player the GM should have had. Picking Whitner 8th overall meant that we lost out on Cutler or Ngata. Arguably, that's significantly worse than the pain of losing out on whichever player we should have chosen with the Maybin pick.

 

Exactly.

 

Along those lines, I make the case that the 2006 draft was the biggest setback this team suffered since I have followed them. They drafted Whitner, spurned trade offers, and gave up picks for McCargo.

They walked into that draft with the #8,a 2nd, and 2 early thirds on day one. They walked away with Whitner, McCargo and Youboty. Then they took Ko Simpson early in the 4th.

 

So yes, I agree. It's not only about who you get. Who you pass up on counts too. We did get Kyle Williams in the 5th that season, and he is obviously a fine player. Still, this draft was stocked with very good players that we desperately needed, and we wound up with, for the most part, garbage.

 

The bottom line is that no matter what this team's needs were (many) the organizaiton had little ability to evaluate college prospects or pro free agent prospects. If Whitner was an impact safety the Ngata option would not be an issue. The Bills giving up a pick to move up in order to draft McCargo was another example of this organization's ineptitude. Is there a more non-contributing or invisible player on our roster?

 

Teams that draft well such as Green Bay, Baltimore, Pitts etc are consistently competitive in a system designed for a lot of player movement. The Bills were not only one of the worst drating franchises but they were also one of the most peculiar drafting teams. Trying to go back and understand their line of reasoning is futile because there is nothing sensible about it.

 

The Bills owner fired employees such as Bill Polian and John Butler/A.J.Smith. He replaced the competent staff with the mediocre staff such as Jauron/Levy/Modrak/Guy. There should be no surprise to the outcome. The owner got what he deserved because he is the one responsible for bringing in the junk.

 

I agree John, but I submit that the Spiller selection was ill advised, and at the very least gave the impression of more of the same.

 

The BPA philosophy about which you speak is sound indeed.....AFTER a team has a solid foundation.

 

Jmo.

[JohnC]

 

 

I agree John, but I submit that the Spiller selection was ill advised, and at the very least gave the impression of more of the same.

 

The BPA philosophy about which you speak is sound indeed.....AFTER a team has a solid foundation.

 

Jmo.

 

With respect to the Spiller pick I understand your concerns and frustrations. But I steadfastly maintain my position with respect to Spiller. He was a top ten ranked player taken withing the range of his rankings. The neurotic repetition of mistakes that this cartoonish organization has made is reaching for need. That is one of the primary reasons why this inept organization has repeatedly made draft mistakes.

 

Nix gave his reasons for why he took him. They are very reasonable. Spiller had playmaking abilities which this team clearly lacked. He was drafted in the range of his rankings. As long as he continues to follow that draft strategy things will work out. In addition, in the year Spiller was drafted there were two highly rated OTs, Trent Williams and Russell Okung. Both were gone when it came to our turn to make a pick. Anthony Davis from Rutgers had the physical tools but there were major questions regarding his work ethic and character. Bulaga was an OT that I liked very much but his rankings were in the 20-25 range. The end result is that Nix selected a top ten ten at a top ten position. Not reaching for a need is the right approach to take.

 

The BPA philosophy about which you speak is sound indeed.....AFTER a team has a solid foundation.

 

When Nix took over the operation the organization was in a shambles. The team was essentially an expansion caliber team. Nix's philosophy (I agree with him) is to go after the best talent you can without reaching. If you do that over time you will have a critical mass of talented players that will allow you to be competitive.

 

There is no such thing as excuting a pure philosophy when rebuilding a team, especially when there are so many needs. If you look at Nix's two drafts you will see that he is primarily addressing the defense. He is jettisoning the Jauron approach of light and quick mentality to being bigger and tougher. That goes to addressing your concern of building a foundation.

 

You are too fixated on the Spiller pick. Stand back a little more and don't let the prior foolish regimes unduly influence you. Look at Nix's first two drafts and take a more overview perspective. I do see a direction and even a coherent philosophy being implemented. When you take over garbage it is going to take time to clean out the mess (on the field and organization) and start from scratch to move in the right direction.

Edited August 6, 2011 by JohnC

[Kelly the Dog]

With respect to the Spiller pick I understand your concerns and frustrations. But I steadfastly maintain my position with respect to Spiller. He was a top ten ranked player taken withing the range of his rankings. The neurotic repetition of mistakes that this cartoonish organization has made is reaching for need. That is one of the primary reasons why this inept organization has repeatedly made draft mistakes.

 

Nix gave his reasons for why he took him. They are very reasonable. Spiller had playmaking abilities which this team clearly lacked. He was drafted in the range of his rankings. As long as he continues to follow that draft strategy things will work out. In addition, in the year Spiller was drafted there were two highly rated OTs, Trent Williams and Russell Okung. Both were gone when it came to our turn to make a pick. Anthony Davis from Rutgers had the physical tools but there were major questions regarding his work ethic and character. Bulaga was an OT that I liked very much but his rankings were in the 20-25 range. The end result is that Nix selected a top ten ten at a top ten position. Not reaching for a need is the right approach to take.

 

 

 

When Nix took over the operation the organization was in a shambles. The team was essentially an expansion caliber team. Nix's philosophy (I agree with him) is to go after the best talent you can without reaching. If you do that over time you will have a critical mass of talented players that will allow you to be competitive.

 

There is no such thing as excuting a pure philosophy when rebuilding a team, especially when there are so many needs. If you look at Nix's two drafts you will see that he is primarily addressing the defense. He is jettisoning the Jauron approach of light and quick mentality to being bigger and tougher. That goes to addressing your concern of building a foundation.

 

You are too fixated on the Spiller pick. Stand back a little more and don't let the prior foolish regimes unduly influence you. Look at Nix's first two drafts and take a more overview perspective. I do see a direction and even a coherent philosophy being implemented. When you take over garbage it is going to take time to clean out the mess (on the field and organization) and start from scratch to move in the right direction.

This. ^^

Very good post.

[Bill from NYC]

If you look at Nix's two drafts you will see that he is primarily addressing the defense. He is jettisoning the Jauron approach of light and quick mentality to being bigger and tougher. That goes to addressing your concern of building a foundation.

 

It does, and I appreciate this. If you recall, I have often praised the 2010 draft other than the Spiller selection. If Carrington and/or Troup can play, this will mean a ton to this football team.

 

Wrt Spiller, I am aware that he was highly rated. But, I am guessing that they could have traded down. Then, Bulaga would have been a steal.

Marv could have traded down instead of taking Whitner. This year, Nix said that he had trade down offers in every round. I would have loved a trade down in round 2, but that's over and we will see what happens.

 

My hope is that Nix will do as you said above for the offense. If he does, the Bills will be a good football team. Clabo and Boss would have helped a lot imo. It's a shame we missed out on these guys because again, imo they would have won us a coupe of games.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Bill from NYC

[JohnC]

Take the situation at RB for example. In 1997 the Bills used a first round pick on Antowain Smith. In 2001 they used a second round pick on Henry, in an effort to upgrade the position. In 2003 they used a first round pick on McGahee in an effort to upgrade Henry. In 2006 they used the 12th overall pick on Lynch in an effort to find an upgrade for McGahee. In 2010 they used the 9th overall pick on Spiller to try to find an upgrade for Lynch.

 

Suppose those draft picks had been used on non-RBs instead. Imagine the 1997 first round pick being used on a player who was as good at C as Smith was at RB. The 2001 2nd round pick could have been used on a player who was as good at TE as Henry was at RB. And so forth. The long run result of diverting all the Bills' first and second round picks away from RBs would have been a significantly stronger and better team.

 

Put another way, the problem with all those RB picks wasn't just that none of them lived up to their draft positions. (Though that was certainly part of it.) It was also that the Bills' blinkered, obsessive, and completely unnecessary effort to upgrade the RB position starved other areas of the team of badly needed early draft picks.

 

Think of this another way. Suppose Team A and Team B have exactly equal ability to evaluate players. Each of the two teams' draft picks always work out about as well as you'd expect for their draft positions. There are no first or second round busts, and there are no late round gems.

 

Team A biases its early picks towards premium positions; whereas Team B does not.

 

Over the course of a seven year period, Team A is likely to end up with the better QB, the better LT, the better RDE, and probably the better pass rushing OLB and NT. Team B is likely to end up with the better OGs, the better C, the better ILBs, the better RB, and so forth. However, Team A will be decent in those areas as well. Team A typically uses its first round picks on premium positions, leaving it with its second and third round picks to obtain decent or reasonably good players at positions of lesser importance.

 

Team A is likely to dominate any contest between itself and Team B. Team B's advantages in areas like interior OL, RB, TE and so forth cannot offset Team A's commanding advantages in QB play, LT, and pass rushers.

 

The Bills have focused on critical positions in a number of their drafts with first round picks. Mike Williams for a variety of reasons was a bust at OT. The Bills moved back into the first round to draft Losman at the qb position. He was a bust. Maybin was taken with a high first round pick at the DE position. That has turned out to be a historically bad decision.

 

My main thesis (ad nauseum) is the main reason for this long-term embarrassing performance of this third rate organization is its inability to evaluate players in the college and pro ranks.

 

I agree that the Bills have been mediocre in evaluating talent, and that that may be stronger than any other single factor in explaining the team's usual lack of success. But it would be going too far to say that is the sole reason the Bills haven't succeeded.

 

The single most critical reason for the team's historical failures is its owner, Ralph Wilson. He is a liability that is difficult to overcome. When looking for explanations about the franchise's systemic futility start at the top, and then stop there.

[JohnC]

[/b]

 

It does, and I appreciate this. If you recall, I have often paraised the 2010 draft other than the Spiller selection. If Carrington and/or Troup can play, this will mean a ton to this football team.

 

Wrt Spiller, I am aware that he was highly rated. But, I am guessing that they could have traded down. Then, Bulaga would have been a steal.

Marv could have traded down instead of taking Whitner. This year, Nix said that he had trade down offers in every round. I would have loved a trade down in round 2, but that's over and we will see what happens.

 

My hope is that Nix will do as you said above for the offense. If he does, the Bills will be a good football team. Clabo and Boss would have helped a lot imo. It's a shame we missed out on these guys because again, imo they would have won us a coupe of games.

 

 

 

I wholeheartedly agree with you with respect to the trade down approach, especially for teams that have many needs. But often that is difficult to do because teams value their picks. I also get the impression from some of Nix's comments that he is not into making draft deals. His approach is if you like a player then take the player.

 

There are GMs and HCs who are very strategic in draft and free agent maneuvering. My sense is that Buddy doesn't fall into that category.

 

I'm in accord with you that a Clabo acquisition would have been a terrific addition. As it stands my main concern about this team is its OL. It is weak at both OT positions and there is a lack of depth. If Bell (still have major ??? about him) goes down then the Bills are in a similar situation to when Peters was traded----a major void and a precarious situation to be in.

Edited August 6, 2011 by JohnC

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Here's what is wrong with Maybin; he thinks he is good enough to play but wont listen to what his coaches are telling him (like gaining weight and stuffing the run).

 

"Physically, the game has never been hard for me," he said. "It's a matter of me convincing my coaching staff that I'm the guy who needs to be out there for the majority of the snaps."

 

Maybin

 

 

"Aaron tries hard every time he walks onto the field, the key for him is being productive on the field," Bills coach Chan Gailey said. "He's got to become a consistent player versus the run and a consistent pass rusher. And he's got work to do. He's not there yet so we'll see how he continues to develop. He's got a long way to go."

 

Chan

 

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/article514581.ece

[Coach Tuesday]

Maybin will be cut this month and we can all move on. There isn't a shred of doubt in my mind about that.

 

Bill, if Spiller turns out to be Jamaal Charles, which is what they're banking on, would the pick be justified? I am still not sure, but I'm thinking yes.

[JohnC]

Here's what is wrong with Maybin; he thinks he is good enough to play but wont listen to what his coaches are telling him (like gaining weight and stuffing the run).

 

"Physically, the game has never been hard for me," he said. "It's a matter of me convincing my coaching staff that I'm the guy who needs to be out there for the majority of the snaps."

 

Maybin

 

 

"Aaron tries hard every time he walks onto the field, the key for him is being productive on the field," Bills coach Chan Gailey said. "He's got to become a consistent player versus the run and a consistent pass rusher. And he's got work to do. He's not there yet so we'll see how he continues to develop. He's got a long way to go."

 

Chan

 

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/bills-nfl/article514581.ece

 

The problem with Maybin is not that he is uncoachable or that he deliberately alters his body type for the sake of appearance rather than football functionality. His main liability is that he lacks football instincts. He can't read the plays and instictively react because he has rudimentary instinct skills. Can it be teached? In my view not at this level where the competition is both physically and mentally skilled for the game.

 

To give an example of the importance of football instincts a physically imposing running back will not be effective if he can't read the blocking schemes and can't adjust his speed/pace to hit the hole at the right time or make the right decision to bounce the play outside or inside. You either have it or you don't.

 

There is a major distinction between being a great athlete versus a good football player. That is the central issue with Maybin.

[Bill from NYC]

Bill, if Spiller turns out to be Jamaal Charles, which is what they're banking on, would the pick be justified? I am still not sure, but I'm thinking yes.

 

Honestly, no. Nothing points to me and tells me that Spiller, even with good stats, is what the Buffalo Bills Football Team needs in order to win football games.

 

Parrish, another gadget player, was our first pick of a draft. McKelvin was a #9. Lee Evans, a one trick pony, was a wasted pick as well in terms of when he was drafted imo. Spiller, a #9, sucked last season. His blocking hasn't improved and he is said to be stupid. What logical reason do either of us have have to think that he will be an impact player?

 

Coach, I very respectfully urge you to remember that we did this before, in terms of building a defense. Butler/Wade concentrated heavily on defense. They signed Big Ted and Bryce. I make the case that they were both superstars for a period of time. But, the team didn't fully click because of players such as Ostroski and Fina. Do our current blockers really not remind you of these guys? The right side is stiff and Bell, like Fina, is agile but weak and undersized. In other words, nothing new.

 

When the Bills decide to get strong and talented on both sides of the line, they will win football games. Until then, they will lose football games.

 

Jmo.

[Kelly the Dog]

Honestly, no. Nothing points to me and tells me that Spiller, even with good stats, is what the Buffalo Bills Football Team needs in order to win football games.

Jmo.

That is laughable. You draft OT so your team can run the ball and have time to throw the ball. If Spiller turns into Jamaal Charles we will be able to run the ball better than any team in the league, and henceforth be able to throw at will (because we happen to have some guys that can do that pretty well already). That keeps the defense off the field and fresh, too.

[Coach Tuesday]

That is laughable. You draft OT so your team can run the ball and have time to throw the ball. If Spiller turns into Jamaal Charles we will be able to run the ball better than any team in the league, and henceforth be able to throw at will (because we happen to have some guys that can do that pretty well already). That keeps the defense off the field and fresh, too.

 

Yeah, I think this probably is correct. If a draft was held today consisting of all NFL players, Jamaal Charles comes off the board much sooner than the first right tackle. That said, if Spiller becomes simply a "gadget player" aka Reggie Bush, then it definitely was a blown pick.

[BADOLBILZ]

The problem with Maybin is not that he is uncoachable or that he deliberately alters his body type for the sake of appearance rather than football functionality. His main liability is that he lacks football instincts. He can't read the plays and instictively react because he has rudimentary instinct skills. Can it be teached? In my view not at this level where the competition is both physically and mentally skilled for the game.

 

To give an example of the importance of football instincts a physically imposing running back will not be effective if he can't read the blocking schemes and can't adjust his speed/pace to hit the hole at the right time or make the right decision to bounce the play outside or inside. You either have it or you don't.

 

There is a major distinction between being a great athlete versus a good football player. That is the central issue with Maybin.

 

Your take on Maybin is only about what you see. Barbarian's view is about what the coaches see. Listen to what they say. Whether he lacks instincts or not is a world away from where this guys problems are. He isn't even close enough to being on the field as a line-up and dash upfield pass rusher, let alone diagnosing plays as a run and hit OLB.

 

He can't get on the field because what he is doing is not enough and is not hearing what he is being told to do and transferring it to the field.

 

Is he an elite talent? Did he warrant his selection based on his raw ability? Absolutely not.

 

But more importantly, and why he is not even good enough to be the 53rd man on a roster, is that he is not tough and doesn't have the willingness or is just too stubborn or dumb to understand that there is another level of intensity that is needed to compete with the big boys.

 

Maybin runs as quickly as he can, but not as hard as he can. He comes off the ball like everyone else, but is not persistent when his initial push is stopped. He is not a fighter. The man is simply not competitive enough. Listen to the coaches. They are trying to flip that switch because they think he is salvageable. But it's not happening.

 

I hate when people make comparisons to their own amateur sports experience, but people are people regardless of what level they are at. I played on a team with a kid who had average talent who thought he was better than that and flat out came out and told the coach that he wouldn't "play the rough game" because he didn't think he had to.

 

This is where Maybin is right now. I'm sure he is not telling the coaches "no", but he is showing them "no" by coming into camp at 228 pounds and not playing like his life depended on it.

 

I've used the comparison before:

 

Cameron Wake and Maybin both played at Penn State and are remarkably similarly physically.

 

Maybin went in round 1, Wake went undrafted.

 

Wake said the experience of having to earn his keep in the CFL taught him the value of "toughness, versatility and want-to".

 

When you see Maybin getting slapped around and not even reaching deep enough to even contribute on special teams you realize that these are exactly the traits that the wealthy and secure Maybin lacks. I mean, no offense, but it doesn't take a lot of instinct to stay in your lane and hit someone. The guy doesn't want it bad enough.

 

Wake is basically the same type of athlete as Maybin, their lone outstanding physical attribute is explosive potential as evidenced by their leaping ability in agility drills. Otherwise, they are pretty pedestrian athletes for the NFL level. Wake went from dominating the CFL to 14 sacks last year in his second NFL season.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Dick Drawn

[Coach Tuesday]

Your take on Maybin is only about what you see. Barbarian's view is about what the coaches see. Listen to what they say. Whether he lacks instincts or not is a world away from where this guys problems are. He isn't even close enough to being on the field as a line-up and dash upfield pass rusher, let alone diagnosing plays as a run and hit OLB.

 

He can't get on the field because what he is doing is not enough and is not hearing what he is being told to do and transferring it to the field.

 

Is he an elite talent? Did he warrant his selection based on his raw ability. Absolutely not.

 

But more importantly, and why he is not even good enough to be the 53rd man on a roster, is that he is not tough and doesn't have the willingness or is just too stubborn or dumb to understand that there is another level of intensity that is needed to compete with the big boys.

 

Maybin runs as quickly as he can, but not as hard as he can. He comes off the ball like everyone else, but is not persistent when his initial push is stopped. He is not a fighter. The man is simply not competitive enough. Listen to the coaches. They are trying to flip that switch because they think he is salvageable. But it's not happening.

 

I hate when people make comparisons to their own amateur sports experience, but people are people regardless of what level they are at. I played on a team with a kid who had average talent who thought he was better than that and flat out came out and told the coach that he wouldn't "play the rough game" because he didn't think he had to.

 

This is where Maybin is right now. I'm sure he is not telling the coaches "no", but he is showing them "no" by coming into camp at 228 pounds and not playing like his life depended on it.

 

I've used the comparison before:

 

Cameron Wake and Maybin both played at Penn State and are remarkably similarly physically.

 

Maybin went in round 1, Wake went undrafted.

 

Wake said the experience of having to earn his keep in the CFL taught him the value of "toughness, versatility and want-to".

 

When you see Maybin getting slapped around and not even reaching deep enough to even contribute on special teams you realize that these are exactly the traits that the wealthy and secure Maybin lacks. I mean, no offense, but it doesn't take a lot of instinct to stay in your lane and hit someone. The guy doesn't want it bad enough.

 

Wake is basically the same type of athlete as Maybin, their lone outstanding physical attribute is explosive potential as evidenced by their leaping ability in agility drills. Otherwise, they are pretty pedestrian athletes for the NFL level. Wake went from dominating the CFL to 14 sacks last year in his second NFL season.

 

This is the best write-up about Maybin I have ever seen and it ought to put the issue to bed around here. God, would it be that hard for the Buffalo News to provide an analysis like this? Well done Double D.

[K-9]

Your take on Maybin is only about what you see. Barbarian's view is about what the coaches see. Listen to what they say. Whether he lacks instincts or not is a world away from where this guys problems are. He isn't even close enough to being on the field as a line-up and dash upfield pass rusher, let alone diagnosing plays as a run and hit OLB.

 

He can't get on the field because what he is doing is not enough and is not hearing what he is being told to do and transferring it to the field.

 

Is he an elite talent? Did he warrant his selection based on his raw ability? Absolutely not.

 

But more importantly, and why he is not even good enough to be the 53rd man on a roster, is that he is not tough and doesn't have the willingness or is just too stubborn or dumb to understand that there is another level of intensity that is needed to compete with the big boys.

 

Maybin runs as quickly as he can, but not as hard as he can. He comes off the ball like everyone else, but is not persistent when his initial push is stopped. He is not a fighter. The man is simply not competitive enough. Listen to the coaches. They are trying to flip that switch because they think he is salvageable. But it's not happening.

 

I hate when people make comparisons to their own amateur sports experience, but people are people regardless of what level they are at. I played on a team with a kid who had average talent who thought he was better than that and flat out came out and told the coach that he wouldn't "play the rough game" because he didn't think he had to.

 

This is where Maybin is right now. I'm sure he is not telling the coaches "no", but he is showing them "no" by coming into camp at 228 pounds and not playing like his life depended on it.

 

I've used the comparison before:

 

Cameron Wake and Maybin both played at Penn State and are remarkably similarly physically.

 

Maybin went in round 1, Wake went undrafted.

 

Wake said the experience of having to earn his keep in the CFL taught him the value of "toughness, versatility and want-to".

 

When you see Maybin getting slapped around and not even reaching deep enough to even contribute on special teams you realize that these are exactly the traits that the wealthy and secure Maybin lacks. I mean, no offense, but it doesn't take a lot of instinct to stay in your lane and hit someone. The guy doesn't want it bad enough.

 

Wake is basically the same type of athlete as Maybin, their lone outstanding physical attribute is explosive potential as evidenced by their leaping ability in agility drills. Otherwise, they are pretty pedestrian athletes for the NFL level. Wake went from dominating the CFL to 14 sacks last year in his second NFL season.

 

Excellent take on the situation.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[White Linen]

With respect to the Spiller pick I understand your concerns and frustrations. But I steadfastly maintain my position with respect to Spiller. He was a top ten ranked player taken withing the range of his rankings. The neurotic repetition of mistakes that this cartoonish organization has made is reaching for need. That is one of the primary reasons why this inept organization has repeatedly made draft mistakes.

 

Nix gave his reasons for why he took him. They are very reasonable. Spiller had playmaking abilities which this team clearly lacked. He was drafted in the range of his rankings. As long as he continues to follow that draft strategy things will work out. In addition, in the year Spiller was drafted there were two highly rated OTs, Trent Williams and Russell Okung. Both were gone when it came to our turn to make a pick. Anthony Davis from Rutgers had the physical tools but there were major questions regarding his work ethic and character. Bulaga was an OT that I liked very much but his rankings were in the 20-25 range. The end result is that Nix selected a top ten ten at a top ten position. Not reaching for a need is the right approach to take.

 

 

 

When Nix took over the operation the organization was in a shambles. The team was essentially an expansion caliber team. Nix's philosophy (I agree with him) is to go after the best talent you can without reaching. If you do that over time you will have a critical mass of talented players that will allow you to be competitive.

 

There is no such thing as excuting a pure philosophy when rebuilding a team, especially when there are so many needs. If you look at Nix's two drafts you will see that he is primarily addressing the defense. He is jettisoning the Jauron approach of light and quick mentality to being bigger and tougher. That goes to addressing your concern of building a foundation.

 

You are too fixated on the Spiller pick. Stand back a little more and don't let the prior foolish regimes unduly influence you. Look at Nix's first two drafts and take a more overview perspective. I do see a direction and even a coherent philosophy being implemented. When you take over garbage it is going to take time to clean out the mess (on the field and organization) and start from scratch to move in the right direction.

 

This has to be one of the best posts I've read in 6 years on this site. This was perfectly said and depicts exactly how I feel about Nix and where he's taking this team. After all the, as you perfectly said "cartoonish" Front Offices we've had, I can't understand how my fellow Bills fans can't feel and see the difference in Nix.

[Orton's Arm]

The Bills have focused on critical positions in a number of their drafts with first round picks. Mike Williams for a variety of reasons was a bust at OT. The Bills moved back into the first round to draft Losman at the qb position. He was a bust. Maybin was taken with a high first round pick at the DE position. That has turned out to be a historically bad decision.

Twice in the last 40 years, the Bills have used their first pick of the draft on an OT. One of those two times was the Mike Williams pick. Over the last 40 years, the Bills have never used their first draft pick on a QB. On ten different occasions they used it on a RB, and another ten times they used it on a DB.

 

Losman was selected late in the first round, nine picks after the Bills had drafted Lee Evans. Sometimes a franchise QB will fall to the late first round, as the Packers demonstrated the very next year by taking Aaron Rodgers late in the first. But those cases are rare, and almost never apply to a QBs like Losman, chosen mostly for their physical gifts.

 

During this past decade, the Bills have had a top-15 pick eight times. Of those times, they did the following:

 

4th overall: Mike Williams, OT

13th overall, Lee Evans, WR

8th overall, Donte Whitner, SS

12th overall, Marshawn Lynch, RB

11th overall, Leodis McKelvin, CB

11th overall, Aaron Maybin, DE

9th overall, C.J. Spiller, RB

3rd overall, Marcell Dareus, DL

 

DBs: 2

RBs: 2

DL: 2

OT: 1

WR: 1

 

QB: 0

 

Not a good way to find your franchise QB! Suppose the pick used on Whitner had instead been used on Cutler (as I'd wanted at the time). Opportunities to draft franchise QBs are very rare. If a team has such an opportunity, they'd have to be fools to take a SS instead. (Especially if that SS is named Donte Whitner.) The fact that it was J. P. Losman's presence on the roster which convinced the Bills they didn't need a franchise QB only makes them look even more inept.

 

The waste of the 12th overall pick on Lynch was exactly the sort of incompetence for which Marv was noted. The only current starter the Bills acquired during the Marv era is Kyle Williams.

 

The Spiller pick was not automatically a bad idea, even though I strongly felt the Bills should have been emphasizing positions other than RB. If Spiller were to become the next Thurman Thomas, the pick would have been a good one. (Especially if the eight or ten guys picked after him have so-so careers.) What are the odds of Spiller becoming the next Thurman Thomas?

[BADOLBILZ]

That is laughable. You draft OT so your team can run the ball and have time to throw the ball. If Spiller turns into Jamaal Charles we will be able to run the ball better than any team in the league, and henceforth be able to throw at will (because we happen to have some guys that can do that pretty well already). That keeps the defense off the field and fresh, too.

 

First of all, Spiller has given no indication of being a Jamal Charles. The kid simply is a full step slower than Charles or Johnson. He has well above average speed for an NFL RB, but serioulsy, watch this kid play. He is not smooth or sudden like those guys or like a Reggie Bush. ABSOLUTELY not the kind of player in tight spaces that Marshall Faulk was. Not even close. Yet, these were the comparisons.

 

Could he become a versatile and valuable playmaker? Sure, when he catches up with the playbook(read: he has a siginificant learning disability) he could make an excellent scatback.. Hell, he might even put up a couple 1000 yard seasons if they don't draft another RB in round 1 in the next couple years.

 

But when you have a ton of needs, including a need for long term help on the lines or at QB......guys that can give you a decade of top production........and you have an early pick and pass on one of those needs for a.........scatback.......hell, any kind of running back who isn't an absolute All Pro talent......it's a problem.

Edited August 7, 2011 by Dick Drawn

[Kelly the Dog]

Your take on Maybin is only about what you see. Barbarian's view is about what the coaches see. Listen to what they say. Whether he lacks instincts or not is a world away from where this guys problems are. He isn't even close enough to being on the field as a line-up and dash upfield pass rusher, let alone diagnosing plays as a run and hit OLB.

 

He can't get on the field because what he is doing is not enough and is not hearing what he is being told to do and transferring it to the field.

 

Is he an elite talent? Did he warrant his selection based on his raw ability? Absolutely not.

 

But more importantly, and why he is not even good enough to be the 53rd man on a roster, is that he is not tough and doesn't have the willingness or is just too stubborn or dumb to understand that there is another level of intensity that is needed to compete with the big boys.

 

Maybin runs as quickly as he can, but not as hard as he can. He comes off the ball like everyone else, but is not persistent when his initial push is stopped. He is not a fighter. The man is simply not competitive enough. Listen to the coaches. They are trying to flip that switch because they think he is salvageable. But it's not happening.

 

I hate when people make comparisons to their own amateur sports experience, but people are people regardless of what level they are at. I played on a team with a kid who had average talent who thought he was better than that and flat out came out and told the coach that he wouldn't "play the rough game" because he didn't think he had to.

 

This is where Maybin is right now. I'm sure he is not telling the coaches "no", but he is showing them "no" by coming into camp at 228 pounds and not playing like his life depended on it.

 

I've used the comparison before:

 

Cameron Wake and Maybin both played at Penn State and are remarkably similarly physically.

 

Maybin went in round 1, Wake went undrafted.

 

Wake said the experience of having to earn his keep in the CFL taught him the value of "toughness, versatility and want-to".

 

When you see Maybin getting slapped around and not even reaching deep enough to even contribute on special teams you realize that these are exactly the traits that the wealthy and secure Maybin lacks. I mean, no offense, but it doesn't take a lot of instinct to stay in your lane and hit someone. The guy doesn't want it bad enough.

 

Wake is basically the same type of athlete as Maybin, their lone outstanding physical attribute is explosive potential as evidenced by their leaping ability in agility drills. Otherwise, they are pretty pedestrian athletes for the NFL level. Wake went from dominating the CFL to 14 sacks last year in his second NFL season.

At this point in Wake's career compared to Maybin's, he was two years away from even being signed by the CFL. Wake is 6 years older than Maybin, and came out of school at least a year older than him. Didnt make a team in the NFL in 2005, then it took two years before he even played in the CFL. And two years in the CFL before the NFL.

 

I don't think Maybin has the ability to play in the NFL right now, although he may be able to scratch and claw enough make this team. I think there is a slim to none chance he becomes Cameron Wake. But he's still 23. Wake was not good enough at 24 to even get a FA tryout (in 2006, I don't think) Wake was 25 before he even signed with the CFL and 27 before he played in the NFL.

[BADOLBILZ]

Twice in the last 40 years, the Bills have used their first pick of the draft on an OT. One of those two times was the Mike Williams pick. Over the last 40 years, the Bills have never used their first draft pick on a QB. On ten different occasions they used it on a RB, and another ten times they used it on a DB.

 

Losman was selected late in the first round, nine picks after the Bills had drafted Lee Evans. Sometimes a franchise QB will fall to the late first round, as the Packers demonstrated the very next year by taking Aaron Rodgers late in the first. But those cases are rare, and almost never apply to a QBs like Losman, chosen mostly for their physical gifts.

 

During this past decade, the Bills have had a top-15 pick eight times. Of those times, they did the following:

 

4th overall: Mike Williams, OT

13th overall, Lee Evans, WR

8th overall, Donte Whitner, SS

12th overall, Marshawn Lynch, RB

11th overall, Leodis McKelvin, CB

11th overall, Aaron Maybin, DE

9th overall, C.J. Spiller, RB

3rd overall, Marcell Dareus, DL

 

DBs: 2

RBs: 2

DL: 2

OT: 1

WR: 1

 

QB: 0

 

Not a good way to find your franchise QB! Suppose the pick used on Whitner had instead been used on Cutler (as I'd wanted at the time). Opportunities to draft franchise QBs are very rare. If a team has such an opportunity, they'd have to be fools to take a SS instead. (Especially if that SS is named Donte Whitner.) The fact that it was J. P. Losman's presence on the roster which convinced the Bills they didn't need a franchise QB only makes them look even more inept.

 

The waste of the 12th overall pick on Lynch was exactly the sort of incompetence for which Marv was noted. The only current starter the Bills acquired during the Marv era is Kyle Williams.

 

The Spiller pick was not automatically a bad idea, even though I strongly felt the Bills should have been emphasizing positions other than RB. If Spiller were to become the next Thurman Thomas, the pick would have been a good one. (Especially if the eight or ten guys picked after him have so-so careers.) What are the odds of Spiller becoming the next Thurman Thomas?

 

 

 

Actually, it's been 51 years since they selected a QB with their first pick.

 

 

Critics say that there hasn't been a QB worthy. Well, check out the Bills luck on draft day and how much impact these guys they chosen have actually had and you find just a precious few had a real impact. When a QB busts, it's high profile, but when they hit.......they change the forutnes of your franchise. Comes down to no balls = no babies on draft day.